Winds of Change
by kerry22002
Summary: A young girl, stolen by a malevolent force. A boy dressed in the clothes of the hero, searching tirelessly for his little sister. A pirate captain, sailing the seas to her own desires. All three intertwine to tell a story worthy of legend, and dictated by fate herself. My take on a retelling of Wind Waker. Rated T for possible crude language.
I do not own Legend of Zelda. Please feel free to review, this is my first fic, so I'm eager to learn and improve!

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A crack of lightning burst over the ocean, as the waves swirled around me. I was struggling to keep my head above the water, flailing my arms and sputtering out the liquid attempting to enter my lungs. Off in the distance, a voice was calling to me. I knew that voice like the back of my hand.

"Aryll!" A burst of energy flowed into my veins, propelling me towards my sister. "Hold on, I'm coming!" Her blond head bobbed up and down, and all I could hear was her calling "Link" over and over. I had to get to her, had to save her. As I reached her, she let out one final scream, sinking below the surface. "LINK!"

With a jolt, I woke and rolled over, springing to my feet. My head was pounding, my reflexes on edge. I quickly scanned around me, trying to find the source of danger. The giggling to my left was the interruption that brought me out of my craze.

"Haha, Link, you're always such a sleepyhead! C'mon, this must be the third time this week I had to come all the way up here to wake you." Aryll was standing tall, with a smirk on her face. I let out a sigh of relief. She was slightly out of breath, clutching her spyglass under her arm. Her youth showed in her bright dress, and bright smile, as she swayed side to side with the breeze. "What's wrong?" Her lighthearted image suddenly turned to worry, as she noticed the sweat beading on my forehead, and the worried glances I made left and right.

"Oh, um nothing." The look on her face showed she was clearly not convinced. "I just had a bad dream."

"Again? Was it the drowning thing? You'd think growing up on the ocean would make you used to the water." She recovered her humor again, smiling as she peered over the edge of the tower. I never told her that in my dreams, she was drowning too. I had taken to sleeping in the watchtower, as I didn't want to wake her or grandmother with my tossing and turning. Our home was small and humble, leaving us to all sleep in the same room. Sleeping outside was more comfortable as well, with the wind cooling my skin and the gentle waves calming me. For some reason, I felt safer knowing I was close to the sea.

"Anyway, I came to get you because grandma is looking for you. Don't you remember what today is?" Oh Goddesses, what have I forgotten now? My mind was reeling, attempting to guess at the importance of the day. _Was it my day to clean? No, that was the day before yesterday. Maybe its an island holiday,-_

"It's your birthday, silly!" Aryl's voice chimed in, bringing me out of my thoughts. My birthday! I had completely forgotten. Now my mind was racing again. _Did grandma get me anything? I hope not, with what little rupees we have saved up. I know for sure she's making her special soup, like she does on every special occasion_.

"I gotta go, Aryll, thanks for waking me." I was already at the ladder, waiting for her response. When she said nothing, I looked up to see her peering through her spyglass, engrossed in whatever scene lay before her. _I'll tell her thank you later_ , I decided, and started off towards the house.

A whoosh of hot air welcomed me when I opened the front door. The smell of onions and broth was already filling the house, but when I entered the kitchen, grandma wasn't there. _She must be upstairs. I've been telling her she shouldn't climb the ladder when no one else is around. Oh well._ I climbed up the ladder to the loft, and saw her. She was getting older, hunched over with stiffness, and shuffling when she walked. I felt bad, the burden of raising two children when you're that old can only be harmful. But, when she saw me, her face lit up with its usual smile, causing all her wrinkles to move into her happy face.

"Oh Link, I cannot believe it is time, take these and put them on." She handed me a pile of green, which I unfolded to see a tunic, leggings, and a hat and belt. Oh man, were they thick. It was the peak of summer, and I was going to wear these?

Grandma must have sensed my apprehension, as she gave me a playful shove, to get me started in dressing. Once on, the clothes actually felt nice. They fit me perfectly, and for some reason they just felt right.

"You look so handsome! This is the traditional clothing of the hero of legend. It is your day to grow and take shape into a man of similar bravery and prowess." Her lighthearted tone grew serious, and she turned to look at the shield on the wall. "Your father was just like you, Link. So kind, and so very brave. I almost didn't approve of your mother's marriage, as I was sure his bravery would only cause trouble. But they loved each other so much, just as they loved you and Aryl." With a sigh, she turned to me, and smiled once again. "Go on and get your sister. Oh! And be sure to come home before dusk. I've invited everyone over for your birthday dinner." With that, she shooed me down the ladder, and out the door.


End file.
